Foldable iPhone Said to Feature 'Crease-Free' Display — Here's How

[TruthAboveAllElse]

Why do we assume Samsung is developing it? Could it not be that Apple engineers are developing it, and Samsung is producing it? That would be why Samsung is not using it in their own phones yet, surely that is not allowed by their contract with Apple. But perhaps someone with more expertise can illuminate this for me.

 

[mazz0]

Here’s how: they’ll use the state of the art at the time it comes out, which will actually be a visible hinge, less visible than previous generations, but more than future generations.

In other news, it’ll have a faster CPU too.

 

[Octavius8]

Does not make sense: why and how the supplier Samsung can develop a better screen for Apple and not for its own devices?.
We will have 6 years behind g 1st gen of foldable phone. And it will mot be neither the 1st, nor the best. There is no way that after so many years behing Apple can release a 1st gen device that is better than a 6 years ahead device.
Lets see how Apple has used this 6 years...

 

[surferfb]

Does not make sense: why and how the supplier Samsung can develop a better screen for Apple and not for its own devices?.

Apple designs the components and then contracts others to manufacture them. So in a lot of cases Apple’s specs beat what Samsung designs for itself.

Also Samsung Display and Samsung Mobile compete internally, so if Apple demands (and is willing to pay more for) stricter quality/better yields/tolerances etc.

We will have 6 years behind g 1st gen of foldable phone. And it will mot be neither the 1st, nor the best. There is no way that after so many years behing Apple can release a 1st gen device that is better than a 6 years ahead device.
Lets see how Apple has used this 6 years...

For all we know Apple has been building them internally and just doesn’t think they’re ready for prime time yet, or have been waiting for technology to catch up. The idea that Samsung is “six years ahead” because they released a foldable phone six years ago is silly. That’s like saying Google is

 

[stargem]

Agreed - a precision hinge with two separate fixed screens makes more sense. It would be thinner (nearly a cm depth for an iPhone with a foldable flexible screen? No thank you), more robust, and less expensive than a foldable screen, which is likely to have a crease no matter what they do. The bendable screens should be saved for relative fixed, but curved surfaces (like armlets, or larger smart watches).

Then again, I mercilessly mocked Android when it came out, so I could be wrong. 😇

Take the thinnest available bezel on smartphones and double it. That's not going to be a pretty black bar down the middle of the screen.

 

[quietstormSD]

There has to be a crease. There cannot be no crease. I'll believe there is no crease when I see it. For now, no, all foldable (like completely folded) will have a crease when opened.

 

[repoman016]

I don't know why anyone wants this. Why would you want an extra step to using your phone? And a mechanical linkage that *will* wear out and cause problems.

They seem to be trying so hard to make something relatively pointless.

That extra step is only if you want a larger screen. The folds are fully functional from the front screen

 

[Cape Dave]

First the "notch", then a line down the middle of the screen. What oh what shall we do?

 

[VulchR]

I don’t want a black bar in the middle when I play games or watch videos. Creases are not really visible when the screen is turned on and you are watching content on it

Depends on the lighting. I find the creases on foldable phones really distracting and annoying, but that's just me.

 

[iMattPro]

I wonder how much $$ Apple and Samsung have spent to make a folding phone's display look like the current normal flat glass displays we've already had for 20 years.

Can't wait for them to engineer a rounded square tire next.

 

[robertosh]

I expect the device to have many compromises in both phone and tablet modes. Because one thing is clear, Apple does not want that you replace your iPhone + iPad by just 1 device. To have all full-fledge benefits of the two worlds you will need to have an iPhone+iPad combo, while the Fold should be targeted for "casual" users, like having basic cameras and basic tablet functionality. This is my opinion of course. I'm not tempted in any case as I have very different workflows for iPhone and iPad which makes sense to have them on different physical devices.

 

[Rettun1]

I am interested in this device, but the aspect ratio when unfolded is a huge sticking point for me. If the 7.8 inch internal screen was 16:9 or 16:10 I would preorder it site unseen. But we know it’s gonna be a square ratio which means for media consumption it will be limited to just a little bigger than the outer screen. And that is not exciting for me.

Think about this:

If the internal screen of a foldable is 16:9, imagine what shape it would have to be when it is folded up? Something ridiculous

If anything, seems like the outside screen is what will be good for watching video

 

[xalea]

All the people in this thread poo-pooing this folding iPhone will be clamoring for one next year when it's sold out, and the year after will be desperate for one if they haven't got one already.

 

[KevinN206]

And this right here is why Apple is always a step ahead of Samsung. Samsung wants to be first for everything. They are on the 7th fold and still have this ugly crease. Apple isn’t in a rush and they feel perfection is better.

Samsung has no reason to use crease-free display because there's no competition and they likely want to maximize profit. The technology is from Fine M-Tec, which Samsung has likely found during R&D for the last 6+ years. Samsung just chose not to use it until someone, like Apple, threatens the market.

 

[KevinN206]

I promise the same thing was not said about a slightly larger phone.

Apple felt it was important enough for them to have this ads as a response to the Galaxy Note 2 at that time. That means the Galaxy Note original was released one year prior. Magically, Apple released the iPhone 6 Plus two years later.

 

[SnowPenguin]

Unlike most everyone here, apparently, I'm super interested in this.

"They won't know they want it until they see it"

 

[123123123]

You know, I have to agree

Flip phones seemed all the more practical back then when we didn't have much in the way of touchscreen phones, but ever since all of what we have in terms of touchscreen technology has sprang into existence, I feel like having a flip or fold mechanism that will only inevitably wear out over time seems a bit silly if you ask me

The flip side (ha) is that flip phones regularly took a beating that would demolish a modern glass slab phone. I don’t think I ever killed a flip phone with physical damage, only with moisture and a bad charger once.

 

[dilop89]

Someone can correct me but I always thought that whatever company was ordering panels from Samsung was still combining some of their own display tech specifications with the panel provided which is why not all phones with Samsung panels are the same. I’m assuming Apple has done some R&D of their own to achieve the “crease-less” design.

 

[transmaster]

Honestly, I want to know what sort of protective case I can use before I even consider a Fold.